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Des Moines BLM organizer faces felony criminal mischief charge

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June 25th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A Des Moines Black Lives Matter organizer has been charged with felony criminal mischief after Des Moines Police accused Matthew Bruce of vandalizing a police vehicle. Photos from the Des Moines Register show protesters spray painting a police car at a Saturday protest at a Hy-Vee store. Bruce turned himself in Wednesday morning and got out on bail. He spoke to activists and reporters outside the Polk County Jail.

“This treatment right here ain’t going to do nothing but hype me up, make me louder, and get all of us turned up,” Bruce said, to cheers. Bruce says Des Moines police should be investigating two men who drove their pickup trucks at him and other protesters Saturday. Police say they didn’t receive formal complaints about those incidents.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Katarina Sostaric)